Baldwin: Ryan is forest bill obstructionist

Loggers say restrictions on cutting in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest are blocking the creation of jobs and harming the economy. Ecologists, though, warn past timber management has put the forest in dire circumstances.
(Photo: Wm.Glasheen/Post-Crescent Media)

The typically soft-spoken Madison Democrat singled Ryan out at a congressional committee hearing and blasted him in Senate floor speech and a letter.

Paul Ryan(Photo: Submitted)

Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee who's known for his wonky policy acumen, says the legislation that Baldwin supports would mean exceeding bipartisan spending caps.

"Congressman Ryan has always believed preventing and fighting wildfires are national priorities. But nothing in the Senate proposal would guarantee that additional spending would go to wildfire prevention," said Kevin Seifert, Ryan's spokesman. "The House has passed bills that fully fund wildfire suppression within the current spending caps. The issue is not whether or not we're going to fund these efforts — it's whether we're going to do so within the caps agreed to by Congress and President Obama."

The political spat reflects the key struggle between the two parties that is dividing Washington D.C., whether government should play a bigger role in solving the nation's problems.

Baldwin believes the Forest Service needs more help. Ryan believes in fighting fires, but only in a way that doesn't rack up more federal debt.

Tammy Baldwin(Photo: Submitted)

The Democratic senator supports $615 million in a supplemental appropriations bill for the U.S. Forest Service to fight a 2014 fire season that is expected to cost taxpayers $1.6 billion.

Baldwin also backs a policy change inserted into the bill that would treat wildfires more like hurricanes or other natural disasters. It could end a cycle of "fire transfers" that annually raid management budgets on national forests like the Chequamegon-Nicolet in northern Wisconsin, she said.

As federal money flows to fight 26 active fires this month, 1.6 million acres have already been burned. That impact cascades to Wisconsin and its 50,000 jobs tied to the forest products industry, Baldwin said. Wisconsin's forest products industry feeds jobs in all corners of the state, from mills in Marshfield to paper producers in the Fox Valley and export shippers in the port of Green Bay.

"The U.S. Forest Service continues to reallocate money to the detriment of the rest of the jurisdiction — small businesses here are dependent on logging and milling and are in desperate straits," Baldwin said this week.

Legislation backed by Baldwin has support from 124 congressmen — 67 Democrats and 57 Republicans. It has been approved by 200 groups nationwide, including Wisconsin logging advocates, environmental groups concerned about forest health and the National Rifle Association.

Forest County Potawatomi Community tribal forester Al Murray discusses logging and forestry management of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest with U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin near Laona.
(Photo: Wm.Glasheen/Post-Crescent Media)

Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson, a Republican, says Ryan is looking for the "status quo" that robs the Forest Service from the opportunity to effectively manage timber land.

Ryan and advocates of the spending change traded letters this month, each accusing the other of cherry-picking federal statistics to misdirect the discussion.

"A budget is about setting priorities, and I would urge you to support funding wildfire suppression within current caps," Ryan wrote to the Budget Committee this month.

INTRA-STATE BATTLE OVER MONEY

The intrastate disagreement of Baldwin and Ryan is becoming increasingly common, said Barry Burden, a political scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

A sign points to a private selective harvest timber sale in Oneida County in 2013. State and forestry officials are hoping to see an increase in logging in Wisconsin’s Northwoods.
(Photo: Wm.Glasheen/Post-Crescent Media)

"In an earlier era in which the parties were not so polarized, delegations frequently cooperated on matters of interest to the state. Today that is less likely, especially in Wisconsin," Burden said. "Wisconsin legislators represent some of the most visible partisan leaders in Washington and have staked out positions that are difficult to reconcile."

Burden said Ryan is a natural target with his high-profile position on the budget committee, vice presidential run in 2012 and possible presidential aspirations in 2016.

Earlier this month, the Gannett Wisconsin Media Investigative Team reported that timber harvest from the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest rose 6 percent last year to 63.2 million board feet. But that number is still far short of a target 130 million board feet allowed and sought by timber professionals.

Ifless money was earmarked to fight wildfires out West, advocates say more trees in northerrn Wisconsin could be cut, which would feed sawmills and paper producers statewide.

Baldwin pressed U.S. Forest Chief Tom Tidwell at a hearing last week about whether Wisconsin could expect more timber harvest with the legislation.

"It would allow us to treat more acres, produce more wood and more jobs," Tidwell said. "We've been talking about fire ... but in your state, this addresses forest health concerns and to provide additional wildlife habitat."

In a special report last October, the Gannett Wisconsin Media Investigative Team documented problems facing the national forest in northern Wisconsin, the state's rich logging history and fallout from a debate between loggers and ecologists.

Public records show the U.S. Forest Service could have sold and cut 1.3 billion board feet of wood in the past decade under its mandated forest management plan — representing roughly $110 million in revenue.

In reality, loggers cut just 755 million board feet, or a little more than half the allowed quantity, producing half the value.